Blog: The Restaurant Water Test

December 21st, 2015

Here's the big challenge for restaurants! How attentive are they with the water? That's the EASIEST and most effective barometer of good service. So few restaurants in LA do it right -- but the ones that do, cherish those places.

You'll go to a restaurant, sit down and drink your water. Don't you get thirsty? In many places out here, you'll go the rest of the meal before the water gets refilled. That's a joke. Some will say that it's a new water ordinance to combat the drought, but I don't think that was the case even before the drought. The use of the drought was just an excuse to me. They could at least ask.

The best restaurants, like one I was at last weekend, are very attentive to the water, they'll come up the moment the water level gets under 50% and ask if you want a refill. Sometimes they're pretty active on the refills... so much so that you get a problem you want to have -- too much water and not enough time. There's pressure here! Not just on drinking the water but on not overloading the bladder. This problem is *glorious.* That's the sign a restaurant's doing a tremendous job.

This is about more than water. It's about attention to detail too. If they're this focused on a small element like water, that means they're going to be very keen on your meal arriving on time and tasting great. Maybe the food won't be to your liking anyway, but good wait staff will at least guarantee you have a comfortable, stress free experience. It says "we care."

So! Raise that glass when you get it filled. If you drink soda, they'll be swift to fill that up too. A full glass of fluid means they're treating you right.

Ya know, I had more to write, but I want to end this on a high note. I had a great weekend but more on that later, plus some other scenarios. Enjoy your Monday!